Boyce, Bequette, Aiken among Patriots' final cuts

A fourth-round draft choice just last year, wide receiver-kick returner Josh Boyce is among the players the Patriots release during final cuts. The Pats also part with defensive end Jake Bequette, a third rounder in 2012, and Danny Aiken, a move that leaves them with defensive end Rob Ninkovich as their long snapper.

“The Turk,” of course, is the name affixed to that individual in an NFL organization who tracks down players on cutdown day and utters the words they hope never to hear: “Coach wants to see you; and bring your playbook.”

After catching just nine passes for 121 yards and returning nine kicks for 214 (a 23.8-yard average) in nine games (three starts) as a rookie, Boyce heard those dreaded words Saturday.

Boyce was one of 19 players the Patriots released (they also placed rookie linebacker James Morris on injured reserve) in getting to the league’s regular-season roster limit.

Boyce was one of six veterans released by the Patriots, the group including long snapper Danny Aiken, linebacker Steve Beauharnais, defensive end Jake Bequette, tight end Steve Maneri and defensive lineman Jerel Worthy.

Barring a move at the position, Aiken’s release leaves defensive end Rob Ninkovich as the lone long snapper on the roster. The team brought Tyler Ott to training camp to compete with Aiken, but released the rookie free agent from Harvard earlier this month.

And while Boyce was a fourth-round draft pick of the Patriots last year, Bequette was a third rounder in 2012 who contributed even less, failing to make a single tackle in two seasons with the team (he appeared in just eight games).

Note that with the league-imposed four-game suspensions of cornerback Brandon Browner and wide receiver Brian Tyms at the outset of the regular season, the Patriots actually have 55 players at the moment, a number they will have to address when the pair are eligible to return.

Don’t think the cuts to 53 mean the Patriots’ roster is etched in stone.

Last year, between final cuts and their 23-21 regular season-opening win at Buffalo, the Pats made 15 transactions involving their active roster.